Ball for target games

ABSTRACT

Structures are provided in missiles for use in toy target games and the like having a multitude of upstanding hook-like formations secured thereto and operable to retain the missiles against a target surface. In one form, a missile in the shape of a hollow spheroid is moulded of plastic and includes in its outer surface a plurality of oblong indentations extending almost halfway around the spheroid. Each adapted to receive and retain a similarly-shaped segment of textile hooking material. The depth of each indentation is preferably such that the upstanding hooklike formations of the material inserted therein will protrude just beyond the adjacent surface portions of the missile so that a minimum discontinuity in the surface of the hollow spheroid is effected. In a particular form, the indentations are five in number, similarly configured and somewhat similar in shape to those portions of the surface of the spheroid which do not contain indentations. The spacing between the oblong segments of hooking material on the ball is such that the ball will adhere to the target regardless of which portion of the ball engages the target. If desired, the missile may be made in the shape of a football and the material forming the body of the ball and the textile hooking material on the ball may be of different colors.

United States Patent [191 Lemelson et al.

[ Nov. 4, 1975 22 Filed:

[ BALL FOR TARGET GAMES Nov. 5, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 521,027

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No.471,760, May 20,

[52] US. Cl... 273/106 R; 273/106.5 A; 273/181 B; 46/DIG. l; 273/61 A;273/58 K [51] Int. Cl. A63B 65/00; A63B 39/06; 3 A63B 69/36 [58] Fieldof Search 273/65 E; 46/DIG. 1;

273/181 B, 186 E, 106 R, 106.5 A, 95 R, 95 A, 106 E, 58 K PrimaryExaminer-George J. Marlo [57] ABSTRACT Structures are provided inmissiles for use in toy target games and the like having a multitude ofupstanding hook-like formations secured thereto and operable to retainthe missiles against a target surface. In one form, a missile in theshape of a hollow spheroid is moulded of plastic and includes in itsouter surface a plurality of oblong indentations extending almosthalfway around the spheroid. Each adapted to receive and retain asimilarly-shaped segment of textile hooking material. The depth of eachindentation is preferably such that the upstanding hook-like formationsof the material inserted therein will protrude just beyond the adjacentsurface portions of the missile so that a minimum discontinuity in thesurface of the hollow spheroid is effected. In a particular form, theindentations are five in number, similarly configured and somewhatsimilar in shape to those portions of the surface of the spheroid whichdo not contain indentations. The spacing between the oblong segments ofhooking material-on the ball is such that the ball will adhere to thetarget regardless of which portion of the ball engages the target. Ifdesired, the missile may be made in the shape of a football and thematerial forming the body of the ball and the textile hooking materialon the ball may be of different colors.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 FIG.2

FIG.3

BALL FOR TARGET GAMES RELATED APPLICATIONS This is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 471,760 filed May 20, 1974and entitled Missiles for Target Games and having as a parentapplication Ser. No. 436,045 filed Jan. 24, 1974 and entitled TargetGame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and improvedstructures in missiles for target games, and in particular to structuresin spherically shaped missiles or balls containing hooking materialsecluded as a plurality of separate elements in the outer surfacesthereof.

It is known in the art to provide a target game employing a lightweightsphereoid, containing a plurality of segments of textile material knownas Velcro attached to the outer surface thereof. For example, inapplication Ser. No. 436,045 there is provided a number of differentconstructions for spherical, target-seeking missiles which arecompletely covered with textile hooking material which is die cut intooblong pieces of similar shape and cemented to the outer surface of alightweight plastic ball. At least ten such elements are employedinvolving a substantial amount of the material, which is quite costly,particularly for use in a lowcost toy target game. Such total coverageof a ball with such material has been effected for two reasons, one toprovide an outer surface of substantially uninterrupted, sphericalconfiguration and the other to provide a symmetrical array ofdifferent-colored elements interposed between each other and decoratingthe sphereoid.

The instant invention is particularly directed to a new and improvedstructure in a missile such as a spheroid of the type described above,wherein substantially half of the hooking material required of theconventional totally covered spereoid is eliminated therebysubstantially reducing the cost for producing same. The ball shapedmissile is light enough in weight and is covered with separate sectionsof hooking material which are so configured and spaced apart around thesurface of the missile that the missile will attach itself to thesurface of the pile target regardless of which portion of the missilestrikes the target.

Accordingly it is a primary object of this invention to provide a newand improved structure in a missile for use in target games employinghooking materials for the target and at least a portion of the missile.

Another object is to provide a structure in a missile, particularly inthe shape of a sphereoid or ball containing hooking fastener materialattached to its surface wherein said hooking material is provided inboth a functional shape arrangement and a decorative arrangement withoutthe need to occupy the entire surface of the missile in order to permitthe missile to attach itself to a target containing similar fasteningmaterial.

Another object is to provide a missile for use with targets containingtextile hooking material wherein the missile is in the shape of asphereoid and contains a plurality of sections of hooking materialattached to its surface and wherein indentations are provided in thesurface of the sphereoid which are configured to properly retain saidsections of hooking material so that they will not easily peel off.

Another object is to provide a missile construction for use in targetgames wherein a plurality of sections of hooking material are attachedto indentations in the missiles surface and wherein said indentationsare of such a depth as to permit the sections of hooking material todispose their hook elements just beyond the outer surface of the missileto permit same to engage and be retained against the target withoutsubstantially interrupting the smooth configuration of the surface ofthe missile.

With the above and such other objects in view as may hereinafter morefully appear, the invention consists of the novel constructions,combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings but it is to be understoodthat changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to whichfall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a molded plastic base forming .part of amissile coming within the purview of the instant invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken through a diametral plane of thebase of FIG. 1 showing the general surface shape of the wall of the baseand indentations therein for receiving and holding sections of hookingmaterial and FIG. 3 is a top view of a spherically shaped missileemploying the base shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and having a plurality ofsections of hooking material secured in indentations therein.

In FIG. 1 is shown part of a target game component 11 comprising ahollow spherical shell having a thin shell-like wall 11W which ispreferably formed either of single blow molding or a two piece injectionmolding of such plastic polymers as polystyrene, polyethylene, celluloseacetate, polypropylene or other suitable thermoplastic resin. The wall 11W of shell 11 is molded with, a plurality of oblong indentations 12therein which are shown as separated by spherically shaped wall portions13 of substantially similar contour configuration as the contours of theindented portions 12 of the wall. The portions 13, which are illustratedas five in number and are interposed between an equal number ofindentations 12, are joined at opposite ends of the missile to circularformations l5 and 16 which are preferably extensions of the sphericalouter surface 14 of the missile defining portions 13. While theindentations and nonindented portions therebetween may be fewer orgreater in number than five each, we have discovered that theconfiguration illustrated in the drawings provides an arrangement ofcomponents to be described which is both esthetic and efficient bothfrom the pro duction cost and operational requisites. By securing oblongsections 20 of flexible hooking material of substantially the samecontour configurations as the indentations 12, as shown in FIG. 3, atarget game missile is provided which will be retained against a sectionof pile target material of the type defined, for example in US. Pat. No.3,032,345, regardless of which portion of the missile strikes the targetmaterial. For the plastic resins described, the missile shell 11preferably has a wall thickness as thin as or somewhat less than 1/32inch and preferably in the range of 0.012 inch to 0.030 inch to providethe assembly 10 light enough so that it will not bounce off the target.The hooking material contains a multitude of filamentary plastic hooks22 secured to a sheet-like base, the bottom face of which 3 base ispreferably adhesive bonded or welded to the outer surface 17 of eachindentation 12. The sections 20 are each configured to completely fillthe indentations 12 and, if formed of a material which is a differentcolor than that of the plastic of which shell 11 is 5 molded, a pleasingdecorative effect is attained by providing portions of the missile outersurface of one color interposed between the portions thereof defined bythe sections 20 of a different color simulating a playball made of aplurality of different sections of similar shape and configuration.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, five oblongindentations 12 are molded in the wall 11W, each of similar contour andequally spaced apart from each other in a circular array around thesphereoid with each containing a similarly configured oblong section ofthe described hooking material completely filling the indentation. Theindentations 12 contain portions of the wall 1 1W of sphericalconfiguration below the spherical configuration defined by wall portions13 with the spherical outer surfaces 17 of the indentations supportingthe sections 20 of hooking material to permit their hook-like formations22 to protrude beyond the surfaces of portions 13 a degree to engage andretentively hold the missile against a pile target material of the typedefined herein and in US. Pat. No. 3,032,345. The depth of theindentations 12 is preferably such, however, that the protrudinghook-like formations of the sections do not protrude beyond thespherical shell defined by surface 14 a degree such as to abruptlychange or vary the general spherical shape of the missile as illustratedin FIG. 3.

Although the missile shown in the drawings is in the shape of aspherical ball, it may be provided in. other concave configurations suchas an oblate sphereoid or a football' For a hooking material such asVelcro material which is produced by the American Velcro Corporation ofNew York, NY. which is approximately [/16 inch thick, the depth of thecavities 12 is preferably in the order of 1/32 inch allowing thefilamentary hook formations thereof to protrude about l/32 inch beyondthe spherical plane of the surface 14 of the hollow shell 11 While atypical spherically shaped missile of the type illustrated in thedrawings may vary in outer diameter from between one inch and two inchesand the indentations and sections of textile fastening material may varyfrom three to seven in number, in a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the ball shaped base 1 1 is about 1% inch in diameter with awall thickness of less than l/32 inch for proper lightness to preventthe missile from bouncing off the target, the indentations and fasteningmaterial are approximately 2 inches long and vary from about l/l6 inchto 3/16 inch width at their ends to about inch to inch at theircenters'and are I five in number. Such a spherically shaped missile ispreferably formed of a one piece blow molding of polyethylene,polystyrene, cellulose acetate or other suitable thermoplastic resin.

We claim:

1. A missile for use in target games employing a target which iscomposed of a planar sheet including a substantial area of pile materialhaving upstanding filamentary formations protruding therefrom which areadapted to engage and hold said missile against any of the variousportions of the target which the missile may strike during playing saidgame,

said missilebeing formed of a thin-walled light weight generally convexshaped hollow body forming a self supporing bulbous enclosure in theshape of a I sphereoid,

the outer surface of the wall of said hollow body defined by convexouter portions thereof surrounding a plurality of oblong indentationstherein wherein the depth of each indentation is substantially constantthroughout the indentation and wherein each indentation extends almosthalfway around said sphereoid body, a plurality of oblong sections ofsheet-like fastening material each configured in contour to the contourof a'respective of said indentations,

eachof said oblong sections of sheet-like fastening material beingsecured within a respective indentation in the wall of said hollow bodyof similar contour thereto,

each of said oblong sections of sheet-like fastening material having amultitude of filamentary formations which are cantelever supported andprotrude. I

outwardly from said fastening material in a manner such that they extendsubstantially radially outwardly from said hollow body when said oblongsections of said fastening material are secured within said indentationsin engagement with the bottom walls thereof, each of said filamentaryformations of said fastening material having a shank portion which isformed with an end portion which extends outwardly of the shank portionand extends backwardly in the direction of said fastening material todefine a hook-like formation, said hook-like formations of filamentaryfastening:

material being configured and protruding from the sections of saidfastening material in a manner such that they project a degree beyondthe surface of those portions of said hollow body which are disposedbetween said indentations to permit said hook-like'formations to engagethe fonnations of the target which said missile strikes to retain said amissile thereagainst, said oblong sections of sheet-like fasteningmaterial being configured and spaced apart around the sur "faceof saidsphereoid body in a manner such that,

regardless of which portion of said sphereoid body engages saidsubstantial area of target pile material, a sufficient number of thehook-like formations of said oblong sections of fastening material willengage and become attached to the filamentary formations of said targetand retain said sphereoid body against said target. 2. A missile inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said indentations in said wall of saidhollow body are of substantially equal shape and are equi-spaced apartaround said hollow body.

3. A missile in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of saidindentations in said wall of said hollow body and said oblong sectionsof sheet-like fastening material taper from a maximum width near thecenter portions thereof to narrower end portions at each end thereof. 4.A missile in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said oblongsections of fastening material and the indentations in which they aredisposed are symmetrically shaped and of similar shape to the shapes ofthe other indentations and sections of fastening material.

5. A missile in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of saidindentations and section of fastening material 6 of which said fasteningmaterial is made are of different colors.

8. A toy missile in accordance with claim 5 wherein said sphereoid is inthe range of 1 inch and 2 inches in diameter and the indentationstherein and fastening material filling same vary between 2 inches and 3inches in length and between and in width at their centers and between1/ 16 inch and 3/16 inch in width at their ends.

1. A missile For use in target games employing a target which iscomposed of a planar sheet including a substantial area of pile materialhaving upstanding filamentary formations protruding therefrom which areadapted to engage and hold said missile against any of the variousportions of the target which the missile may strike during playing saidgame, said missile being formed of a thin-walled light weight generallyconvex shaped hollow body forming a self supporing bulbous enclosure inthe shape of a sphereoid, the outer surface of the wall of said hollowbody defined by convex outer portions thereof surrounding a plurality ofoblong indentations therein wherein the depth of each indentation issubstantially constant throughout the indentation and wherein eachindentation extends almost halfway around said sphereoid body, aplurality of oblong sections of sheet-like fastening material eachconfigured in contour to the contour of a respective of saidindentations, each of said oblong sections of sheet-like fasteningmaterial being secured within a respective indentation in the wall ofsaid hollow body of similar contour thereto, each of said oblongsections of sheet-like fastening material having a multitude offilamentary formations which are cantelever supported and protrudeoutwardly from said fastening material in a manner such that they extendsubstantially radially outwardly from said hollow body when said oblongsections of said fastening material are secured within said indentationsin engagement with the bottom walls thereof, each of said filamentaryformations of said fastening material having a shank portion wich isformed with an end portion which extends outwardly of the shank portionand extends backwardly in the direction of said fastening material todefine a hooklike formation, said hook-like formations of filamentaryfastening material being configured and protruding from the sections ofsaid fastening material in a manner such that they project a degreebeyond the surface of those portions of said hollow body which aredisposed between said indentations to permit said hook-like formationsto engage the formations of the target which said missile strikes toretain said missile thereagainst, said oblong sections of sheet-likefastening material being configured and spaced apart around the surfaceof said sphereoid body in a manner such that, regardless of whichportion of said sphereoid body engages said substantial area of targetpile material, a sufficient number of the hook-like formations of saidoblong sections of fastening material will engage and become attached tothe filamentary formations of said target and retain said sphereoid bodyagainst said target.
 2. A missile in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid indentations in said wall of said hollow body are of substantiallyequal shape and are equi-spaced apart around said hollow body.
 3. Amissile in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said indentations insaid wall of said hollow body and said oblong sections of sheet-likefastening material taper from a maximum width near the center portionsthereof to narrower end portions at each end thereof.
 4. A missile inaccordance with claim 3 wherein each of said oblong sections offastening material and the indentations in which they are disposed aresymmetrically shaped and of similar shape to the shapes of the otherindentations and sections of fastening material.
 5. A missile inaccordance with claim 1 wherein each of said indentations and section offastening material are of substantially equal shape.
 6. A missile inaccordance with claim 5 wherein each of said indentations in the wall ofsaid hollow body and the non-indented portions of said wall between saidindentations is of substantially similar configuration.
 7. A toy missilein accordance with claim 6 wherein said indentations and the fasteningmaterial filling said indentations are each five in number and whereinthe material of which said hollow body is molded and that of which saidfastening material is made are of different colors.
 8. A toy missile inaccordance with claim 5 wherein said sphereoid is in the range of 1 inchand 2 inches in diameter and the indentations therein and fasteningmaterial filling same vary between 2 inches and 3 inches in length andbetween 3/8 and 3/4 in width at their centers and between 1/16 inch and3/16 inch in width at their ends.